•A brief history of Mount Cameroon

Mount Cameroon, also known as Mount Fako or by its native name Mongo ma Ndemi („Mountain of Greatness“) (wiki), is a volcanic massif of southwestern Cameroon that rises to a height of 13,435 feet (4,095 metres) and extends 14 miles (23 km) inland from the Gulf of Guinea.

It is the highest peak in sub-Saharan western and central Africa and the westernmost extension of a series of hills and mountains that form a natural boundary between northern Cameroon and Nigeria.

The Englishman Sir Richard Burton (1821–1890) climbed to his peak in 1861.

It is an active Volcano. It is referred to as Cameroon Volcanic Line, which also includes Lake Nyos (wiki). The city of Buea is at the South-East slope of the mountain, and the port of Limbe (formerly Victoria) lies at its southern foot. The side of the mountain facing the sea has a mean annual precipitation level of more than 405.5 inches (10,299 mm) and is one of the wettest places in the world, called Debundscha. The rich volcanic soils of the mountain are home to bananas, rubber, oil palms, tea and cocoa; the valleys are used as grazing land.

The first written narrative of volcanic activity was recorded in the 5th century BC by the Carthaginian explorer Hanno the navigator. (Carthage was a colony in present-day Tunisia, which later became a city-state and then an empire).

There were also moderate explosive and effusive eruptions that took place throughout history from the vents of the summits and flanks. The first was reported in 1909, 1922, 1954, 1959 and 1982 when there was an eruption on the southwest side that produced a flow of lava that reached the Atlantic coast. Furthermore, in the 1999 eruption, this time from the south side, the lava stream stopped surprisingly only 200 meters (660 feet) from the sea, cutting off the coastal road.

There is the annual “Mount Cameroon Race of Hope”. He brought fame to Sarah Etonge, who won the race on seven occasions and is known as the queen of the mountain. Hunting is one of the main economic activities of people living around the mountain, and agriculture is also another important activity that thrives around the mountain.

The story of Mount Cameroon will not be complete without speaking of the legendary Lekunze Timothy of Lebialem. Timothy Lekunze went down in history by winning the Mount Cameroon Race twice. In 1986, he covered the 36km in 3hrs: 47ms: 59s, and beat his own record in 1987 with 3hrs: 46ms: 34s.

Male Winners

Years	Times	Name	Country
1973	5h:47m:00s	EKEMA John	CAMEROON
1974	5h:09m:00s	NGOU NJOMBE DAVID	CAMEROON
1975	5h:07m:00s	NDUMBE EVAMBE AMOS	CAMEROON
1976	4h:37m:00s	REV. STIFTER Walter	ITALIAN CLERGY
1977	4h:19m:00s	REV. STIFTER Walter	ITALIAN CLERGY
1978	4h:19m:16s	REV. STIFTER Walter	ITALIAN CLERGY
1982	4h:21m:30s	NDIVE Simon YONDE	CAMEROON
1983	4h:33m:00s	MONYONGE Gobina FRANZ	CAMEROON
1984	4h:06m:32s	Mike SHORT	GREAT BRITAIN
1985	3h:56m:17s	Mike SHORT	GREAT BRITAIN
1986	3h:47m:59s	Timothy LEKU LEKUNZE	CAMEROON
1987	3h:46m:34s	Timothy LEKU LEKUNZE	CAMEROON
1988	3h:51m:47s	ESUKA Reginald	CAMEROON
1989	3h:47m:35s	Jack MAITLAND	GREAT BRITAIN
1990	4h:44m:13s	GOBET ¨Pierre André	SWITZERLAND
1992	4h:32m:13s	TATAH Thomas	CAMEROON
1993 - 1995	00h:00m:00s	No mountain race	...............
1996	4h:29m:13s	TATA Thomas	CAMEROON
1997	4h:46m:27s	TANGWO TAWE Linus II	CAMEROON
1998	4h:32m:07s	TATA Thomas	CAMEROON
1999	4h:31m:57s	KONGNUY SHEY Joseph	CAMEROON
2000	4h:37m:51s	KONGNUY SHEY Joseph	CAMEROON
2001	4h:34m:19s	TEDJIOZEM Dominique	CAMEROON
2002	4h:41m:50s	KONGNUY SHEY Joseph	CAMEROON
2003	4h:31m:50s	NGONGHAPONGHA	CAMEROON
2004	4h:30m:39s	NGONGHAPONGHA Charles	CAMEROON
2005	4h:20m:58s	TEDJIOZEM Dominique	CAMEROON
2006	4h:23m:38s	BONGKINUYI Januarus A	CAMEROON
2007	4h:30m:18s	BONGKINUYI Januarus A	CAMEROON
2008	4h:35m:50s	NGONGHAPONGHA Charles	CAMEROON
2009	4h:36m:16s	VOFFO MOMO Ernest	CAMEROON
2010	4h:36m:09s	DIVEN WIRBA Joseph	CAMEROON
2011	4h:29m:09s	MBATCHA Eric	CAMEROON
2012	Not up to the submit	GAPSIBUM Godlove	CAMEROON
2013	4h:31m:54s	GAPSIBUM Godlove	CAMEROON
2014	4h:26m:00s	MBATCHA ERIC	CAMEROON
2015	4h:32m:12s	GAPSIBUM Godlove	CAMEROON
2016	4h:30m:16s	NDUNGEH Simplice	CAMEROON

Female Winners

Years	Times	Name	Country
1983	5h:38m:00s	MOJOKO NGONJA Emilia	CAMEROON
1984	5h:44m:57s	NJIE EWELISANE Sarah	CAMEROON
1985	5h:38m:00s	MOJOKO NGONJA Emilia	CAMEROON
1986	6h:20m:03s	MOJOKO NGONJA Emilia	CAMEROON
1987	5h:45m:15s	EMBELLE ETONGE Christina	CAMEROON
1988	5h:09m:17s	DIAMENTIDES Helene	GREAT BRITAIN
1989	4h:42m:00s	RUEDA Fabiola	ARGENTINA
1990	5h:50m:00s	SMITH SALLY GOLD	GREAT BRITAIN
1992	6h:23m:21s	EMBELLE ETONGE Christina	CAMEROON
1996	6h:25m:21s	LIENGU ETONGE Sarah	CAMEROON
1997	6h:25m:25s	LIENGU ETONGE Sarah	CAMEROON
1998	5h:48m:25s	LIENGU ETONGE Sarah	CAMEROON
1999	5h:24m:12s	LIENGU ETONGE Sarah	CAMEROON
2000	5h:44m:39s	NGWANG Catherine	CAMEROON
2001	5h:21m:42s	LIENGU ETONGE Sarah	CAMEROON
2002	5h:20m:03s	NGWANG Catherine	CAMEROON
2003	5h:26m:14s	LIENGU ETONGE Sarah	CAMEROON
2004	5h:29m:05s	NGWANG Catherine	CAMEROON
2005	5h:38m:06s	LIENGU ETONGE Sarah	CAMEROON
2006	5h:32m:04s	TARI WIRNGO Immaculate	CAMEROON
2007	5h:29m:48s	NGWANG Catherine	CAMEROON
2008	5h:39m:22s	NGWANG Catherine	CAMEROON
2009	5h:22m:25s	NGWAYA Yvonne	CAMEROON
2010	5h:28m:07s	NGWAYA Yvonne	CAMEROON
2011	5h:33m:54s	NGWAYA Yvonne	CAMEROON
2012	Not up to the summit	NGWAYA Yvonne	CAMEROON
2013	5h:32m:23s	NGWAYA Yvonne	CAMEROON
2014	5h:22m:00s	Lissette NGALIM	CAMEROON
2015	5h:32m:10s	NGWAYA Yvonne	CAMEROON
2016	5h:21m:31s	NGWAYA Yvonne	CAMEROON

References

1. Wikipedia

2. https://www.britannica.comhttps/place/Mount-Cameroon

3. Photo [Yona Tientcheu]

4. https://www.alluringworld.com/mount-cameroon/

5. https://www.cameroon-tribune.cm

6. https://more.arrs.run/runner/-17790

7. https://www.fakonewscentre.com